Electric computer games, Beast Mastery hunting and obscure references

Icecrown Citadel: the Lich King’s residence. Since Wrath first started around a year ago, we’ve been moving inexorably towards a confrontation here with His Unholyness. From what we’ve heard from Blizzcon, this is likely to be a truly epic conclusion to the expansion.

I intend to be there.

Not right at first – my guild’s in no danger of hitting any world or server firsts – but before the Cataclysm hits, if it can be done. For you ‘proper’ raiders out there, this may seem like a ridiculous statement, but my guild and I have a LOT of work to do before we can hit the Citadel. I suspect we have our work cut out to do it before Cataclysm. Here’s my reasoning:

3.3 including Icecrown Citadel is the final planned content-patch of Wrath. We will therefore have only a limited time to complete it as Blizzard must intend to bring Cataclysm in within a few months – anything more and they’d require a bridging content patch like 2.4. It is also fair to say that IC will be higher in difficulty than either Ulduar or the Trial of the Crusader. The Guild has so far not made any significant progress into these places, and we’re going to need the gear to have any chance in IC.

Why is Icecrown so important to me? The gear, after all, is irrelevant; what IS there after icecrown to use the gear on? It’ll likely be replaced pretty swiftly with quest greens and blues when Cataclysm hits. What bothers me is the thought that I could spend all this time gradually working towards the Lich King’s downfall – from the first time I set foot in Northrend to report for duty through to now, competing in the tournament for the right to face him – and never actually get there. From what I hear, the final challenge of Wrath is set to be absolutely epic, and as an event – and achievement – it would be terribly sad to miss it. Yeah, I suppose we can go back and do it at level 85, but… somehow, it’s just not the same. The Lich King will already be officially ‘dead’ (or defeated, depending on what happens), and it’ll be hard to find a group that wants to go back and do old content anyway.

Improving my own gear and encouraging the guild to move our progress up are my only real routes to Arthas. I’m not certain I’ll get there, but I intend to give it my best shot!